Dinner with the Johnsons
1691 Words
The air in the hallway froze.
Adam’s breath caught in his chest.
Richard’s voice was calm but carried power. The kind that made everyone straighten their back. Emily stepped away from Adam slowly, her face smooth again, like nothing had happened.
“In here,” she called out.
Richard appeared in the doorway, his jacket draped over one arm, his tie loose from the long day. His sharp eyes took in the room, the untouched glass on the table, and the way Adam stood too still, too alert.
“Didn’t expect to find you here, Adam,” he said with a half-smile. “Working late, I see?”
Adam forced himself to smile back. “Yes, sir. I just came to drop off a file you needed.”
Richard nodded, stepping closer. “Efficient as always. That’s what I like about you.” He clapped Adam on the shoulder, firm and friendly. “You’re the kind of man I can count on.”
Emily’s eyes flickered a small, almost invisible shift. But Adam caught it. That tiny glance sent a chill through him.
Richard turned to her. “Did you thank him for coming all the way out here?”
“I did,” Emily replied softly. “He was just leaving.”
Adam nodded quickly. “Yes. I should...”
“Nonsense,” Richard interrupted. “You can’t leave on an empty stomach. Emily, set another plate. You’ll stay for dinner.”
Adam froze. His heart thudded in his chest. Dinner. Here. With them.
He didn’t want to say no. He couldn’t say no.
Emily looked at him for half a second before turning to Richard. “Of course,” she said quietly.
Soon, the three of them sat around the large oak table, the same one from the dinner weeks ago. Candles burned low, soft music played in the background, and every sound, every click of a fork, every breath felt too loud.
Richard talked easily, the way men of power often did, about business, markets, plans for expansion. Adam answered politely, nodding at the right moments, though half his thoughts were somewhere else sitting across from him.
Emily.
She sat in her seat gracefully, saying little, but every movement she made drew his eyes. When she reached for her glass, the candlelight brushed her skin. When she smiled faintly at something Richard said, Adam felt something twist inside him. Envy, guilt, and desire tangled together.
“Adam,” Richard said suddenly, breaking into his thoughts. “You’ve been doing fine work lately. I’ve told the board you’re one of my best.”
“Thank you, sir,” Adam managed, his throat dry.
“You’ve earned it,” Richard said. “Loyal men are hard to find these days.”
The words hit him harder than he expected. Loyal.
Adam forced a nod, keeping his face steady while his stomach turned.
Emily’s eyes lifted to his for just a second a silent look that said everything and nothing.
When dinner ended, Richard leaned back with a sigh. “Emily, this meal was perfect. You always make the house feel alive.”
She smiled faintly. “That’s kind of you, Richard.”
He stood, walking around the table to place a brief kiss on her head. The kind of gesture that looked affectionate but carried no warmth. Then he turned to Adam. “Stay for a drink. I want to talk about your future here.”
Adam glanced at Emily. She didn’t move, didn’t speak. Her eyes met his only once more before she rose from the table quietly.
“I’ll leave you both to talk,” she said. “There’s wine in the cabinet.”
Her dress brushed the floor as she disappeared through the doorway. The faint sound of her steps faded down the hall. Adam’s chest felt hollow without her presence.
Richard poured two glasses of whiskey and handed one to him. “You remind me of myself when I was younger,” he said, sitting across from him. “Ambitious. Driven. Always thinking ahead.”
Adam smiled faintly. “That means a lot, sir.”
Richard’s expression softened. “Keep it up, Adam. This company could use more men like you.” He took a slow sip, eyes thoughtful. “You know, Emily said the same thing about you. Said you have potential.”
The glass almost slipped from Adam’s fingers. “She did?”
Richard nodded. “She sees people well. She has good judgment. I trust her opinion.” He smiled, but there was something unreadable behind it. A sharpness that didn’t match his tone.
Adam felt a cold sweat gather at the back of his neck. He forced a chuckle, though it came out too light. “That’s kind of her.”
Richard leaned back, his gaze steady. “It is. She doesn’t talk about many of my employees. So when she does…” He trailed off, letting the words hang heavy in the air. “It means she’s noticed you.”
The silence that followed was thick. Adam’s mind spun, searching for something safe to say.
“I’m… honored,” he said finally.
Richard nodded slowly. “Good. Because I expect a lot from the people she notices.”
He smiled again, but this time, it didn’t reach his eyes.
They talked a few more minutes mostly about work but the room felt smaller, the walls closer. Every word carried another weight. When Adam finally left, the night air felt colder than before.
He walked to his car, trying to shake the unease crawling through him. The stars were hidden behind clouds, the street quiet except for the sound of his own heartbeat.
He started the engine, but before he drove off, his phone buzzed.
A new message.
One line.
“I hope you didn’t tell him how long you stayed.” – E
Adam stared at the screen, his breath catching.
He looked back toward the house, the light still on in the upper window. For a moment, he thought he saw her shadow move behind the curtain.
Then the message disappeared.
Deleted.
His pulse thundered as he stared at the dark screen, wondering who really knew what and how much longer they could keep pretending.
- Writer
